Northern is the largest rail network outside London and plays a vital role in the north of England by connecting tens of thousands of people to work, leisure, education and more every day.

The Northern network is the perfect way to travel to and from some of the best walking areas in Britain.

So, to show just how good the walking is from the Northern network, we've teamed up with Northern to develop a series of walks specially chosen to be easily accessible from stations across the north of England.

Each of the 12 walks has been designed by our own writer and presenter Andrew White to showcase the fabulous variety of walking on offer to Northern’s customers.

Taking in locations such as Mam Tor from Edale, Chester city centre and Orrest Head from Windermere, the collection of 12 We Are Northern Train Trails includes many that can be navigated with a push-chair, linear walks, circular walks and some more challenging routes for those who want a full day’s walking.

"Our trains stop at remote villages and thriving cities and once you’re there, there’s no better way to explore a place than on foot.”

Northern’s Head of Brand and Business Development, Joanne Morley

“I’ve always believed that some of the most rewarding walks are the ones that reveal the special experiences available closer to home."

Walks Around Britain writer, presenter and producer, Andrew White

The walking guides are available to download here from the Northern website - with new guides added throughout the summer, as well as short video guides and tips from Andrew for those getting out walking for the first time.

Also, as part of the partnership, Northern’s Rail Trails will also feature in seasons four and five of Walks Around Britain, which can be seen on Forces TV, Horse & Country TV and Amazon Prime as well as on Local TV channels across the north of England.

Northern’s Day Ranger tickets are ideal for walkers wanting to explore the region on foot, because they allow customers to hop on and off the train as many times as they wish. Find more information about Day Ranger tickets click here.

The Northern Vision

The start of the new Northern franchise on 1 April 2016 marking the start of a £1billion investment that will transform travel across the north of England. These include:

brand new state-of-the-art trains with a top speed of 100mph,

existing fleet refurbishment to an as-new condition,

services becoming faster and more frequent,

improved customer facilities and more security on stations; and

many stations with extended opening hours.

The new trains are a mix of 43 electric and 55 diesel units being designed and built by CAF in Spain. The first trains will enter service in December 2018, and all 98 will be carrying customers around the Northern network by 2020 - replacing all of the old-fashioned Pacer units in the process.

The new trains willl all have free Wifi, power sockets and digital information screens - as well as a Netflix-style on-board entertainment service beaming TV programmes, films and entertainment straight to your mobile phone.